Semiautomatic film-winding camera



April 6 1926. 1,579,752

" c. A. BORNMANN SBIIIAUTOMATIC FILM WINDTNG CAMERA Filed D60. 26. 1924 F 3 INVENTOR '17 041?; A zomw/r/v/v Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

1,579,752 PATENT *QFFI'QQE.

CARL A. BORNMANN, OF BINGHAMTON, NEXV YQRK, aiSSIG-NOB, T0 ANSCO PHOTO- rnonuc'rs, mm, or BINGHAMTON,

NEW YORK.

sEMIAoroMAT c FILM-WINDING CAMERA.

Application filed December 26, 1924. Serial No. 758,130.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARLA. BoRNMANiv, a citizen of the United States, and'a resident of the city of Binghamton, county of adapted to a' folding camera, it should be understood that the same may be readily applied to a camera of the box type.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a camera with certain simple, inexpensive and easily assembled parts JVlllCll, when operated after an exosure has been made, will cause the exposed section of the film to be immediately wound into position without the usual trouble and time required in the ordinary camera in which the film is ound by hand through the medium of a winding key. This enables the operator to makesuccessive exposures very rapidly and without further effort than sim ply depressing a small lever to release .the

winding mechanism.

Another and important object is to so arrange the parts as to place this lever in the most convenient position for operation so that the same may be at all times. within 7 quick and easy access of the hand of the operator.

A still further object lies in providing.

means for automatically throwing or projecting the operating lever to operative position when the camera is opened into posi tion for use. I

Another object is to so arrange and locate the various parts necessary to perform the above mentioned functions that they require avery slight additional amount of space over that already provided in cameras now in use.

Other objects and advantages in detail of construction and operation will: be apparent as the description proceeds, reference camera-the cover or closure wound der tension.

being ad to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts. Y j j In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved cap being removed to illustrate the assembled parts,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the operating lever and its co-acting'parts. Figure 3 is a detail plan of this lever.

Figure 4 is a detail winding mechanism.

1* igure 5 is another detail illustrating the preferred type of motor or power source used in driving the winding mechanism. i

A folding camera of the type mentioned is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1.' the usual hinged platform or bed 2, view finder, 3, lens-and'shutter 4 and bellows 5. At one side of the camera is mounted the winding mechanism for automatically driving the take up spool 6for theipurpose of winding the film thereon from the supply spool 7. I

This mechanism is driven by a motor or other source of power and as in the form il- I lust-rated, comprises a coil spring 7 disposed crosswise of the camera body. This spring motor includes spirally of 5) and a winding key Qisprovided on one end of the shaft forplacing the spring un- Any suitable means such as a pawl and ratchet device (not shown) is provided for holding the spring under tension when wound. 1

vOne end of the outer coil spring 7* is secured to 11 sleevelO suitably journaled in the-side ofthe camera on which the winding mechanism is placed, said sleeve being under constant tension for rotation by the motor. Carried by the sleeve 10 is a pinion 11 meshing with a pinion 12 carrying the gear 13 which in turn mesheswith and drives the ,pinion 14: which operates to rotate the take upspool 6 for winding the film thereon. The

detailed construction and operation of this L --Also c lifiven bythegear 13 is a train of This camera is provided with i showing clearly the operation of the releasing device for the an inner and outer coil the shaft 8, (See Figure gears indicated. in dotted linesin-Figure 1,

beginning with gear 15 and endingin pinis a pin for a pur ion 16". The pinion 16 drives a centrifugal governor indicated generally at 17 of any preferred form for regulatin and eon'trol-- ling the sp'e'edntwvhich the windingniecha nisni operates.

Carried by gear 15 is a dog 18 provided with a straight shoulder'19 for a purpose to be described. Pivoted near one edge of the side of the camera carrying this mecha nism as at 20, ,is alever 21provided intermediate its ends with ashoulder-22 adapted to engage with the shoulder 19 of the dog 18, and when in such engagement, to sto'p the rotation of gear 15 and eonsequentlypf the entire winding meehal'iisin. The end or the 1eve-r 21 is bifurcatedas at23 and a pin engaging in said bifurcation guides the lever 21 and limits iis'nio'vement in either direction. Also carried by the lever 21 and projecting slightly from the side thereof pose to be described.

At. the lower end of the camera 1 is suitably journaled a short stub shaft 26; the inher end 01 which projects through the side of the camera and into the recess 27 in the body thereof. Upon the inner end of this stub shaft is mounted a sleeve 28 by means ot'set screw 29. Rigid with the sleeve 28 is one end of an operating lever 30. It will be seen that upon movement or the lever 30 the shaft 26 will be rocked in its bearings. A spring is g has one end 31 thereof anchored against any convenient rigidpart of the camera and'th'e opposite end 82 suitably secured to the top edge of lever 30. It will be understood therefore that the lever 30 is normally undertensi'on because of the spring 32 to assume the outwardly projected position shown in Figures 1 and '2. It will also be noted that because the spring is yieldable, the lever 30 can assume a vertical position within the recess 27 when the camera is closed or in other words when the platform 2 is raised to its iolded'position. This is a matter of iniportance because of its great convenience. a No attention need" be paidto the operating lever 30 because when the camera is closed the platform 2 simply engages with the under side of the lever 30 and raises it to vertical position within the camera against the tension of the spring Immediately upon opening the camera and dropping the platform 2, the spring 32 will throw the lever 30 into operative position.

The outer end of the s'haft26 carries rigidly therewith an arni- 33; the free end of which is bent at right angles as shown in dotted lines at Set; This angular portionof the arnawhen thelever 30 is in its" lowered position, is adapted to engage one end of theadjusting' screwst earriedby a controlling lever-36? It will be understood from reference toFi'g'ures 1 and 2 that upon-deeoile'd aboutthe shalt 26 and pressing lever 30 the arm 33 engaging with the adjusting screw 35 will rock the lever 36 to the left, said arm 36 being loosely j'ournalert on' t re shaft 26. A heavy coil spring 37' anchored at one end to the rigid pin 88 carried by the camera and its oppositeend'engagin'ga pin 89 carried by the arm 36 normally forces said arm 36 to the extreme I'ight in Figure 1 which is its normal position as will be hereafter explaine Pivoted to the lever 36 near the upper end thereofis a pawl 10-. An ear 41 is bent at right angles from one edge of the pawl i0 and is adapted to engage with th edge 42 of lever 36'. A light spring 4 .3 normally holds the pawl in such engagement with the lever 36.

From the toregoingit will be understood that the pawl can be rocked on its pivot in one direction only. It is carried by the lever 36 to the left in Figures .1 and 4 but whenear el-l engages the lever 36, the pawl held against movement in the opposite direction.

flhz p'zuvl 4:0 is provided on its edge opposite the car all with a straight should-er i l. The bottom edge of the pawl is bevelled as shown at As shown clearly in Figure 4;, the shoulder ll of the pawl lies directly in the path oi: the pin 25 carried by the pivoted lever 21. It will be seen therefore that movement of the controlling lever 36 to the left in Figures 1 and a, as by pressure on the operating lever 30, the pawl it) will engage the pin 25 and rocking on its pivot will be ermitted to slidepast said pin so that at the limit of moven'lent to the left of the lever the pawl ell) will be rocked back to its normal position with respect to lever 36 and the bevelled edge of the pawl will be inposition to engage the pin 25 upon the return movement to the right. Obviously upon" such return movement the bevelled edge 45 now being rigid because of ear 411 engaging the lever 36, will force the lever 21 carrying the pin 25 downwardly against the tension of the spring it thereby disengaging the shoulders 19 and T his permits rotation of the gear 15 and consequently' o'fthe rest of the winding mechanism under the action of the motor.

Of course immediately'upon the lever 36 and p'awlO completing'their movement to the right, the bevelled edge d5 of the pawl will slide past the pin 25" permitting the spring i6 to return the lever 21' to its nornial position where the'sh'oulder 22 again lies in the path of the shouldered dog 18 whereby the winding mechanism will be again stopped upon the completion of one revolution of the gear 15. The gear ratio of this winding mechanismis so arranged that one such revolution of gear 15 drives the take up spool 6 a suliieient number of turns to cause a new unexpose'dlength of film to be drawn into camera.

It should be particularly noted that the operating lever is placed on the left side ofthc camera when the same is in picture taking position. As the camera is normally supported byvthe left hand of the operator grasping the platform 2, it will be obvious that the lever 30 with its finger piece at? will be within easy reach of the left thumb of the operator so that as soon as the shutter has been snapped in the usual manner with the right.- hand, the lever can be depressed and released whereby the film will be automatically wound without changing the position of the camera.

Briefly the operation of my invention is as follows:

A film cartridge is placed in the camera in the usual manner and the spring motor is tightly wound through the medium'of the winding key 9. The platform 2 is then lowered and the spring 32 throws the operating. lever 30 down to operating position,

the focal plane of the bringing the arm 33 into engagement with the set screw 35 on the controlling lever 36. The lens and shutter are then extended upon the platform and such adjustments made as to focusing, etc, as are necessary. The operator then grasps the camerawith the left hand underneath the platform 2 to hold the camera level for the exposure. In this position the left thumb will normally lie directlv adjacentthe operating lever 30. After the shutter has been snapped in the usual manner by the right hand of the operator and an exposure made, all that is necessaryto wind the exposed length of film onto the take up spool 6 and bring a fresh length into position for subsequent exposure is to press the lever 30 with the left thumb and immediately release same. It will be noted that due to this arrangement forvwinding the film, the operator need'not change the position of the camera but can keep the same directed at the subject for a quick second exposure if desired.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that as the lever 30 is depressed, the controlling lever 36 will be rocked to the left in Figure l carrying with it the pawl which rocks past the pin 25 on the lever 21 without in any way affecting the position of said lever. hen the operating lever 30 is released, the spring 37 acts to immediately throw the controlling lever 36 back to the right upon which movement the lower bevelled end of the pawl 40 engages against the pin 25 and as the pawl 40 is now unable to yield in this direction because ofthe ear v stop. As before stated, this one 4.1 engaging with the edge of the lever 36, sald lever 21 will-be depressed against the action of the spring 46 whereby the shoulder 19 and 22 will be disengaged and the winding mechanism freed for rotation under the power of spring motor 7 Atthe completion of the movement of lever 36 and pawl 10 to the right, said pawl will have ridden completely over and past the pin 25, thus releasing the lever 21 to return to its normal position shown in Figures 1 and 4 under the tension of its spring 16, In this position, the shoulder 22 will again lie in the path of the shoulder 19 whereby upon the completion of one revolution of gear 15, the winding mechanism will be brought to a revolution of the gear 15 is sufficient to wind the'entirc exposed length of film upon the spool 6.

It will be seentherefore that I have provided a quick winding camera of simple construction and easy operation which eliminates the effort required and'the delay incident to the winding of the film in the usual manner by hand. The placing of the operating lever for the winding mechanism conveniently adjacent the operators hand so that a change in the position of the camera isui'inecessary for the winding operation, will also be recognized as a distinct advance in theart.

Of course the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is susceptible to many and various changes in details of construction and operation without departing from the scope of the invention. I

do not limit myself therefore to the exact structure disclosed other than by the appended claims. i

. I claim: 1. A winding mechanism for cameras com prising a motor driven gear train for rotating the take up spool, stopping and releasing mechanism for said gear train, an operating lever for said mechanism pivoted in said camera and a spring fornormally projecting said lever to operative position when said camera is opened.

2. A winding mechanism for cameras comprising a motor driven gear train for rotating the take up spool, stopping and releasing mechanism for said gear train, an operating lever for said mechanism adapted to be folded into the camera body by closing the platform of saidcamera, and a spring for automatically projecting said lever to operative position upon lowering said platform, and a finger piece on said lever.

CARL A. BORNMANN. 

